INCI name
Phenoxyethanol
Also listed as: 2-phenoxyethanol
Phenoxyethanol is a widely used preservative in water-based cosmetics. It helps stop bacteria and some yeasts from growing in a cream or lotion once the jar or bottle is opened. It is often paired with other preservatives or with ethylhexylglycerin.
In the EU, phenoxyethanol is allowed in cosmetics up to 1 percent. The same cap is used in several other regions. It replaced or reduced the use of some older preservatives, including certain parabens and formaldehyde releasers, in many mass-market formulas.
A small share of people develop contact allergy to phenoxyethanol. That is a reason to read a label if you already have a diagnosed allergy, not a reason to assume every product that contains it will cause a reaction.